Week 11: Virginia is Flat…

Day 71: Trail days (2)

Saturday, May 18th

0 miles today

730.6 miles total

Everyone I saw/met at trail days:

Tiffany(pub crawl), forager, switch, grumpy, space slippers, clothesline, don Quixote, nahamsha, jolly, Powerslide, extra, whompus, drops, Rogi, duck, gourmet, Bambi, high noon, DHO, Walmart, Miss Janet, one hit wonder and yard sale, kitchen sink, Wes, chappy and banana, Steven, road soda, flick, portable g and boss, treehouse, smokey, chickadee, captain blogger, DC, buck naked, lightning, fern, Nick, half and half, heavy, harmonica, bard, moron, half pint, bluebs, slingshot, Godspeed, unfiltered, sir Cadillac, Dax, rusty, sparkles, atlas, mountain crusher

Today consisted of walking from raffle to raffle in the mud and the rain after my mom dropped us off in town. While we stood around the black diamond tent waiting for the first raffle to start I recognized the guy in front of me with a nice camera, it was Steven from mylifeoutdoors on YouTube. I talked to him and he asked me if I’d be willing to do an interview for him and he asked me about my gear and then he asked if there was anything that I didn’t like and I said my sleeping bag is heavy and too warm for me now so he gave me a sleeping quilt from garage grown gear! That was so awesome I was so happy for the rest of the day. We hardly had time to stop and eat between all the raffles and getting over to the hiker parade but it slowed down in the evening and by then the rain had stopped. It rained so much kids were filling their water guns via puddles.

We picked up some free hiker resupply then went to a couple more raffles and I won a sleeping pad from exped. Joe also went over to the trek tent and found people from gossamer gear to repair his pack but they just handed him a brand new one.

We went down to the old mill, a new restaurant that opened up in Damascus. It was a cool spot on the river but the prices were a little ridiculous for the portions like $41 for an 8oz steak. We got burgers and fries that were pretty good considering. Even the waiter was like yeah just get the burger don’t get the steak.

Outside we ran into Miss Janet and her dog Dexter. She reminded us to take it easy and not rush and do big 25+ mile days. Then it started pouring so she drove us up to the broken fiddle hostel for us.

It was a party, so many people hanging out and it seemed like a lot of trail alumni. There was burgers and hotdogs and a kiddy pool filled with drinks. We met a lot of new people as well as people we already knew. We hung out there for a while before we walked to tent city for what we thought would just be a little bit. We ran into duck, whompus, space slippers, clothesline by the quiet rave and danced there for a while then Rogi showed up and joined us and eventually it went from 11pm to 2am that’s when i decided to call it a night.

Day 72: Another Goodbye

Sunday, May 19th

0 miles today

730.6 miles total

We got all packed up just after check out, running on few hours of sleep but a good breakfast. Took a few pictures and we were in our way. Joe tried to call the super 8 but lost signal. Yeah we decided instead of trying to pump out a bunch of miles after taking nearly a week off we’d just stay at the super 8 right down the road. But we had to stop at the hostel so Joe could pick up a package then stop at the post office so Joe and Spence could send some more stuff home. My mom really just wanted to stop driving us around but she did nonetheless.

We got to the hotel and it was time to say goodbye again, it will probably be longer than a couple months before I see her again.   Saying goodbye is something I’ll never be good at no matter how many times I do it. In the lobby we saw extra and later we saw like 10 or more hikers come in to get rooms aswell. I think extra was right, trail days wasn’t all that thrilling but I’m glad I went. It’s also nice to be see familiar faces.

After a whole lot of nothing and watching the office we went to the Mexican restaurant across the parking lot. Why is there always a Mexican restaurant. Whompus and space slippers joined us. It wasn’t great but it was certainly filling considering I got a steak, shrimp and chicken. Then it was back to more nothing until we went to bed.

Day 73:  Feeling Human Again

Monday, May 20th

18.5 miles total

749.1 miles total

I was the last one up but the first out of the room. Breakfast was a grand spread of yogurt cups, nutragrajn bars, nature valley, muffins, coffee and juice. It was only like 9 o clock and most people had left or were leaving by then. We crossed the 4 lane road then crossed it again to make sure we covered every part of the trail.

The miles seemed to fly by today maybe it’s because it’s been a while since I’ve hiked. We hit the 1/3 marker and passed by graves digger, kachow, and bright side.

We stopped at a nice stream for a snack/water break where I saw oz, stag, and Luna. I got a picture of a dusky salamander chilling in the wet moss. We saw someone commented on a water crossing a couple miles ahead that it’s a nice spot for a dip so we went to check it out. We all felt the weight of our packs and Joe said “I feel human again.”

We didn’t swim but we had a nice little dip and walked around in the pools. As we were leaving Joe saw a text from space slippers that there was trail magic happening at the next gap 3 miles away from us but he was leaving in the next hour. We didn’t push to hike fast but we made it there in time for some watermelon, oranges and sweet treats. Don the Apple man was very nice and said he’s been doing this ever since he ran into some hikers while watching the hawk migrations at the nearby gap and gave them some of his fruit. There was probably 12 of us at the trail magic and the sign in sheet showed at least a dozen more who’d passed by today.

We got to the shelter and there wasn’t a soul there, completely empty. We figured everyone else must’ve pushed on thinking this one would be full but it wasn’t. A few people came by later but it’s just us, anything and sparky. Space slippers said it was pretty packed at the next shelter so we were probably right, I’m glad we didn’t go farther.

We talked about those thoughts that pop into your head about how easy it is to just get off trail and it’s not that we want to at all, in fact I really enjoyed today, but when you see people you know come out to see you and then leave you think about all the moments you’re missing, you can never have it all. I really miss the beach and surfing, I miss the proximity to friends and being able to spontaneously make plans. I’ve made great friends out here but you can never replace someone with someone else, especially a good one.

Day 74: Eating Ice cream in a Walk-in Freezer

Tuesday, May 21st

13.6 miles today

762.6 miles total

Today was the chill and fun day we needed. It was hot as balls. When we climbed out of the gap and onto the ridge I could feel the temperature change. We crossed over some more of the blue ridge parkway overlooks today with some pretty views of sharp top mountain in the distance. We ran into sopita and avalanche there at the mills gap overlook.

The miles were just flying by along with my thoughts and before I knew it the day was halfway over. We stopped by the shelter that everyone else pushed to last night and met lady Madonna lounging in her hammock waiting for some friends to catch up.

It was all downhill from there and at the bottom I could hear the water rushing! Down by the water I saw half & half swimming with a few others by the water. We took a snack break but decided to walk 1.3 miles up the road to a campground with food and ice cream and A/C. It was all uphill but sooo worth it. I got cookies and cream ice cream, a piña colada smoothie and a grilled chicken sandwich. Victoria cooked all our delicious food for us and gave us a free ride down to the trail saying “most people don’t usually walk up here.” There I saw hold my beer who I’d met earlier that day and taxi who was struggling on the AT because she misses the CDT and PCT having grown up on the west coast.

It was so hot that Spencer and I ate our ice cream in the walk-in feezer they use to store cold beer. We hung out there for a while maybe too long before getting the ride back down. When we did we took a splash in the river with sweet relish and took some pictures of Joe posing on a rock like Ariel.

Once we got dry the climb out of there had me soaking wet again by the time we reached the shelter. This shelter is the largest on the AT big enough to sleep 20 and a wooden covered deck that could fit more. The water is right next to the shelter I can hear it from where I’m sleeping and the fireflies are flying around giving a flash here and there. The bugs are everywhere, it’s too hot to be covered but I’m getting bit everywhere. Tomorrow’s gonna be a long day. Also I went to the privy tonight and when I sat down I looked up and saw the biggest spider I’ve ever seen eating a wasp.

Day 75: Hitching to Glasgow

Wednesday, May 22nd

25 miles today

787.6 miles total

That was the worst night sleep of my life. I pooped three times yesterday and three times today, Joe was coughing all night cheddar dog was snoring and it was hot and muggy and the bugs were everywhere. The shelter was nice but that was about it. With the little sleep I had I started up the beginning of a 6,000ft elevation gain for the day, on the hottest day yet. Right out of camp I felt the sticky unmoving air and was soaked in sweat in a matter of minutes.

The climbing wasn’t difficult just long with a couple view points along the way but beside that it was just me and the green tunnel. Most people are kind of bitter about the tunnel covering up all the views but I didn’t grow up with views so I grew to love just walking in the woods. I akin those who chase the views to those who chase external happiness. Sure the views are great, but if that’s all you’re looking forward to you’ll miss the beauty of life unfolding around the trail. You hike this trail for the people, they’re the ones that provide for you, not the trail. The trail is the home to sleep, eat and drink and people are the life that make it.

Hiking the majority of the day and getting to camp early reminded me why I enjoy being out here and why I what I used to be worried about. I got to the shelter we planned to sleep at almost two hours before the guys did and sitting there, cooking, waiting, eating, was quite boring. I started making plans and reading comments to keep occupied. I had everything setup but I still wanted to keep going 2.5 miles to Glasgow and try to hitch into town for the heck of it. When they showed up they were down so I packed up and we went. I was glad to be with them again no matter where we went or what happened. There was one other guy in the shelter, ramble but he didn’t say much but laid their with his eyes closed.

We hiked down and across the James river just before sundown and got to the road with our thumbs out. After a couple false alarms and about an hour and a half we got a ride. He passed by us earlier and debated picking us up but came back anyway. Thanks Wesley, truly a godsend! He dropped us off at the local grocery store if you could call it that. We made turkey, cheese, mustard, mayo sandwiches and ate at the picnic table outside and it’s nearly 11:30 at this point.

Across the street is the town shelter we run into Rogi on the phone and wes by the campsite and a 2016 thru hiker named pterodactyl who’s been here for a few days helping people out. It’s 12:30 now and I’m ready sto sleep in and have an easy day tomorrow

Day 76: My Solo Adventure

Thursday, May 23rd

10.6 miles today

798.1 miles total

I didn’t sleep well last night for a few reasons. A couple being the train horns and how hot it was among other things. I woke up around 7 regardless and didn’t feel like trying to fall back asleep. I overheard some people talking about a charging brick so I let them borrow mine. I got up to pee and by the time I got back to my hammock I had to poop. I bet after that sentence you’re second guessing why you read this blog. I need to remember these things.

Before it was ten most of everyone had left and only a few of us were still there. Wes was getting a ride back to Jersey from pterodactyl on his way back to New Hampshire. We were taking it easy today we only planned to do 10 but with joes congestion and cold he wasn’t big on leaving today. It was something I had to ponder all day, whether I wanted to stay another night or keep hiking. Watching everyone else go back to the trail and just my eagerness to be out there was pulling against my thoughts of not wanting to split apart from the guys.

I made some hotdogs for lunch, had some left over chips and hung around until everyone had left and eventually new people starting coming in. Stag showed up and we talked for a while and nightwatch went to the library to print some things. When he headed back we went to the dollar general to resupply then the grocery express. Unfortunately the dollar general did not have much in the way of food and the grocery express prices were like double so I bought the bare minimum.

I made another sandwich and it’s almost 3pm when i decide that I’m going to keep hiking and the guys are going to stay another night. It was hard but i just wanted to be back on trail and maybe it was time that i hiked on my own for a bit not because i don’t like the guys but because it just feels like the right thing for me to do at the moment. Sometimes there isn’t a solid reason but just a gut feeling and I want to see where it takes me. I know they’ll catch up to me at some point. So I packed up my stuff and left.

I got to the road and I saw sweet relish in the background of a truck with someone else coming into town saying it was their first car that stopped. I didn’t have the same luck. The guy driving them told me I should head down over the bridge it might be easier, it wasn’t. I walked a mile down the road at the corner and everyone driving by was going left out of town and I was trying to go right. Nobody stopped. I called then tried to message a number that was left in the shelter that gives rides as a backup. I kept waiting and noticed a couple cars stopped on the other side of the intersection they looked like they were talking to each other and glanced over at me occasionally. I ended walking over there after about 30-45 mins of trying to hitch with no luck, it probably wasn’t that long but it felt like forever. I asked them if they could give me a ride and the lady in the truck said “sure I’ll take you, I was going to but I ran into my mom.” With one arm in a sling and the other on the wheel Courtney drove me back to the trail head and told me about her granddad who used to shuttle and host hikers since 1959 and after he passed away they try to give hitches to any hiker they come across. I was just so glad to have a ride, really this trail makes you enjoy the littlest things like a ten minute car ride.

Up the trail I passed a guy going south then after I realized I should’ve asked him about the climb coming up but it was too late. But then another guy who was shirtless with long white blonde hair, romance novel cover type, passed by and so I asked him and he said it’s a steady climb then asked if I wanted a beer. I said yes without hesitation, if you want to enjoy the trail you say yes as often as you can, before I realized that I’d have to carry that weight up the mountain because I wasn’t going to drink it before the climb and I didn’t want to say no now. He’s apparently the ice cream man and has been on the trail for 13 years handing out beers and ice cream. I ran into a couple more south bound hikers and idk why I asked them the same question but I did and they were just saying how hard it was and how there’s no water for 9 miles. It’s interesting asking different people the same question and seeing how they respond, you can learn a lot about their character, or maybe just their mood.

I stopped at the shelter before the climbs and filled up my water while talking to bunny about the myths and truths of the Glasgow shelter. It wasn’t a long climb but the end was tough it just got steeper the higher you went and eventually became rock steps. What got me was the second climb right after and when I made it up there I was drenched in sweat but the views were very pretty. One more big climb and that was it for the day I met DC, Squirrel, and Highnoon on top of Bluff mountain and hiked with them down to the shelter while I drank my free beer.

It was weird to not be here with the guys or at least know they weren’t behind me. I haven’t felt this way since that first day when I was more or less by myself. I had dinner with DC and them and when we heard rustling around camp we got a little paranoid and haphazardly hung a terrible bear hang. They were surprised that I’ve hung mine every night, they’d already given up on that. Now I get to fall asleep to bull frogs and peepers in the pond/swamp right by my hammock.

Day 77: Wedding (reception) Crasher

Friday, May 24th

23.4 miles today

821.5 miles total

I only woke up to the bull frogs a couple times but I did wake up at 5 when it started raining. I grabbed my pack and put it under my hammock and I’m glad I did because it started pouring. When I woke up around 8 it was still raining and I was trying to wait it out  when it slowed down I started packing up and ate breakfast under my fly. I left DC and the girls behind as they finished up the new season of survivor that he downloaded and the rain picked back up.

I knew I was close to the 800 mile marker and I didn’t want to miss it but everytime I pulled out my phone the screen got progressively more wet and wouldn’t respond to my finger. I had nothing to dry it off with just so I just kept my eyes peeled and then it was right in the middle of the trail, little pebbles in the shape of an eight and two zeros. This is the first 100 mile marker that I’ve experienced alone. I wasn’t there long but somehow got my phone to take a picture after repeatedly wiping and tapping the screen.

The rain didn’t stop but kept going all afternoon until I got to the next shelter for lunch. I passed sopita and avalanche going south and 9 others as well. It’s because there’s a nearly 3000ft climb straight up over 4 miles. The sun played peekaboo through the clouds while I ate lunch with McGuyver. I wrote in the logbook so they guys know I’m alive when they get here tonight, checked out the privy then was on my way up.

Of course it started raining again, why wouldn’t it. Honestly, it was probably better that it did because it kept me cool while I climbed. I could’ve done without the wet grass that soaked my feet though. It wasn’t terrible but it was a long climb and I had to take a couple breaks. The top wasn’t even rewarding, it’s called bald mountain but it’s anything but bald. The hike down and over the Cole mountain was a much better view. I took advantage of the sun and laid out my stuff to try and make it a little dryer. I’m glad I did because my feet were wrinkled to hell. About an hour later I decided to pack up and hike more. I skipped the shelter because it was 0.6 off trail and aimed for a campsite. DC and them were planning on going to this same campsite but with two breaks both over an hour and a half I hadn’t seen them so I doubted they’d make it. On the way down to a gap I noticed a bunch of people standing around eating and thought it was trail magic but when I got close I noticed they all had nice clean clothes. Two hikers passed me and said it wasn’t trail magic but I was determined to ask anyway. They gave me a sugar cookie then offered me some of their catered subway. Apparently it’s a little wedding reception they’re having before the wedding tomorrow out here in the woods. Some people asked me questions and I happily answered. I talked to the father of the groom who said he’s friends with Horton the guy who was avid on setting the AT FKT and even helped Scott Jurek with his attempt! I thought that was so cool, what a small world. They gave me a coke and another little sub for the “road.”

The dumbest decision but maybe not that dumb was getting water at Hog Camp Gap. It was 0.3 off trail downhill for this water but I needed it. After that it was only a couple more miles to this alleged campsite. When I got there it was literally an overgrown unused rocky road. I didn’t even stop when I passed it because I was like no way this is it. I checked my phone and sure enough it was. While I was doing that an ATV drives by then stopped and backs up. I’m thinking I’m gonna get some food or something but no they just asked me the typical “where’d you start? how long have you been out here? Etc etc.” Then the one girl in the back took a selfie so I gave a smile and went on my way. I didn’t know of any other campsites so I just assumed I’d have to do another 4 miles to the shelter which would’ve made it like a 27 mile day but I just wanted somewhere to sleep. My phone battery now in single digits I see there’s a campsite at the next water source a mile ahead but it’s after another hill. I’m just glad I don’t have to go 3 more miles. This spot is was cooler and I stumbled upon Rogi drying out her clothes and gave her a startle when I said hello. She kindly let me setup and eat my dinner while the sun was setting. It’s actually a really cool tent spot by a little river and a big boulder. Even with the “bad” weather it’s amazing was some food and laying down for a minute can do for your wellbeing. I’m gonna take it easy tomorrow.